Easel



Aprifl 19511 G. w. TURNBULL 2,547,182

EASEL Filed Aug. 17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l I IV V EN TOR. G orge w. Turn flu ll.

April 3, 1951 G. w. TURNBULL EASEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17, 1950 Patented Apr. 3, 1 951 I uni-re STATES ATENT FFE'CE;

Michigan Bookbinding Company;

Detroit;

Mich=,,a: corporation of Michigan Application August" 17, 1950,. SoriaLNo. 180,001

Thisinventionrelates to easels theobject being to provide an easel having foldable cover mem hers for holding a series ofsheetson whichthe user may make adrawing of any desired-v objeet', such for instance asa painting or otherobject, of" which lie-may make a copy on the sheet supportedby the easel.

The device is also usable to display a series of pictures or drawings ofanydesired object.

A particular feature of. the invention resides in the provision of a foldable supporting member on which a secondafoldable: member issupported one of the elements of the second, foldablezmember being secured inslidablerelation with the supporting member and the other of which is foldablethereover.

These and other objects and" features of the invention are hereinaftermore fully described and claimed and the. preferred form of the inventionis shown in the accompanying drawings inwhich- Fig. 1 isa perspective view of the device when folded.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the cover members folded like the covers of a. book and a portion of the supporting element.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing the covers in th open relation and the manner of attaching the leaves centrally between the foldable members.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the device.

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5 showing the back member partially moved from its normal position.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged section taken on line 'I'." of Fig. 5. 7

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set out.

The device compriseselongated rectangularly shaped cover members I and 2 and a central back member 3 to which said cover members are foldably joined at their inner edges, in a manner similar to that of a book.

A fold-able supporting member including the rectangularly shaped elements 3a and 3b are foldabl joined at their upper ends to provide an inverted V shaped support upon which the foldable cover members are mounted in the manner hereafter described.

Substantiall parallel elongated longitudinally extending slots 4 and 5 are formed within the hGlaimsn (Cl; 281*33) support element; 3a adjacent its upper and lower edges with slot" 4 terminating at one end' adjacent the, side edge: of" element 3a, and with: the oppositeend of the slot 5 terminating adjacent the right hand edgeof-elemc-nt 3a.

A carrying or lifting loop- E5 is secured at its ends to one end of the support element to and projects laterally therefrom to facilitate movement of the support 3a relative to the folclable members I and 2" as" when adjusting the" same slidably from. the relative position of Fig. 1 to the position in Fig: 2. v

The rivets l slidably project through the slots 4' and" 5' respectively, with onerivet in each siot, with said rivetsextendingthrough corresponding circular openings inportionsof the foldable member or" cover member 2, therebeing" suitable washers 8 interposed between the: rivets and the inner wall ofsupporting; element Strand between the opposite; endof said rivet and the inner wall of'the cover member 21 g I I In the present preferred embodiment the rivet referred to includes a headed shaft which is exteriorly threaded and which engages the inner wall of the supporting element to and. the opposite portion of the rivet includes a flanged or headed cylindrical nut which threadably engages the aforesaid threaded portion and may be adjustab-ly secured by a screw driver or the like.

The rivets I or the bolts and nuts above described are secured within the cover member 2 adjacent its left end whereby the said cover elements I and 2 may be slid relatively to the supporting element 311, or on the other hand the latter element may he slid with respect to the folded cover elements I and 2.

A flexible strap 9 is centrally interposed between the lower ends of the supporting elements 311 and 3b, with the respective ends of the strap suitably secured to the interior portions of elements 3a and 3b. As shown in Fig. 4 snap fasteners 9' are provided upon the end portions of the strap 9 whereb the supporting elements 3a and 312 may be fastened together in the closed position shown in Fig. 1.

By means of the rivets 1 or securing bolts and nuts, the cover members I and 2 are slidably mounted and secured upon the supporting element 30. whereby when used as an easel the cover 2 may be slid to the position shown in Fig. 2 and then the cover I opened as shown in Fig. 3, with both covers I and 2 resting upon the supporting element 3a. The easel is thus supported in an uprightor slightly rearwardly inclined position leaves or sheets l2 may be turned readily as the, leaves of a book and any one or more of the sheets.

may be removed or returned to position at will.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the claims which follow for determining the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. An easel comprising a pair of rectangularly shaped cover members foldable one upon the other after the manner of book covers, spaced headed elements secured to one of said cover members and projecting therefrom, a .foldable supporting member of inverted V form when open having elongated slots in one leg thereof in which the headed elements are movably retained, and

means interconnecting the legs of saidsupporting member to limit the extent of their separation. 1

2. An easel comprising a pair of rectangularly shaped cover members foldable one upon the other and having a central back similar to a book, spaced headed elements secured to one of said members and projecting rearwardly thereof, a supporting member having legs of rectangular shape foldable to parallel relation and extendable to inverted V form providing a support for the cover members and having spaced longitudinal slots in one of said legs through which the headed elements are slidably positioned and secured, and

means interconnecting lower interior portions of said legs limiting the extent to which the same may be separated.

3. An easel comprising a pair of rectangular cover members foldable one upon the other and having a'central back similar to a book, a foldable inverted V-shaped supporting member having spaced longitudinal slots in one of the legs thereof, headed pins projecting rearwardly of one of said cover members and slidably positioned and secured within said slots whereby the foldable member may be moved in a plane parallel to said cover members, and a tab on one edge of the supporting member by means of which said member may be moved relatively to said cover members.

4. An easel comprising a pair of cover members foldable one upon the other and having a central back similar to a book, a supporting member comprising a pair of rectangular sheets hingedly connected at one edge and openable to an inverted V shape, one of said sheets having spaced elongated slots in parallel relation and parallel with a longitudinal. edge of the supporting member, and headed pins projecting rearwardly from the back covermember and extending through said slots for sliding retaining engagement with said slotted sheet, one slot terminating adjacent the side edge of the sheet and the other slot being of the same length as the first slot and terminating adjacent the opposite side edge thereof.

GEORGE w. TURNBoLL.

asrsnsnons orrsn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Norway Apr. 30, 1900 

